Samsung's well-liked Galaxy Watch is almost two years old, and although the company did release not one but two different Android and iOS-compatible smartwatches last year that just so happened to earn solid reviews of their own, the Watch Active and Watch Active 2 can't be considered true sequels to the premium 2018 wearable device.
One major feature that went missing from Samsung's fitness-centric smartwatches of 2019 could however make a spectacular comeback on the company's as-yet-unnamed 2020 expansion of the Galaxy Watch family, which brings us one step closer to solving the branding puzzle.
A welcomed change of heart
That's right, ladies and gents, the physical rotating bezel is returning from the dead, at least according to the usually well-informed folks over at SamMobile, strongly suggesting the Galaxy Watch 2 label is very much on the cards.
While the publication claims to have "confirmed" the return of the beloved navigation system after speaking to unnamed inside sources, the Galaxy Watch 2 moniker remains little more than an educated guess, so it should continue to be treated accordingly.
The Galaxy Watch Active 2 supports virtual touch bezel interaction, which is not the same thing
In other words, there's still an (outside) chance Samsung will unveil this bad boy as the Galaxy Watch Active 3... or even something else entirely at some point in August, either alongside the Galaxy Note 20, Note 20+, Fold 2, Tab S7, and Tab S7+ or shortly before launching the next high-end phones and tablets in an online-only event.
For those unfamiliar with the Galaxy Watch and its forerunners, we should mention the rotating bezel is a very practical hardware feature, allowing users to, well, physically rotate a smartwatch's bezel to navigate its software by seamlessly switching between screens, apps, and other UI elements.
While the Galaxy Watch Active 2 does come with "touch bezel" functionality, this works by basically sliding your finger over the edges of the device to scroll through menus. The digital feature is by no means bad, but it doesn't quite have the satisfying feel of its physical equivalent, which is why we're pretty certain a number of hardcore Samsung smartwatch fans will be very pleased with the upcoming revival of the actual rotating bezel.
Just the latest in a series of very encouraging rumors and leaks
Obviously, that all means the Galaxy Watch 2 (or however it will end up being called) is likely to be overall larger than the Watch Active 2. Thanks to the FCC, we know there are two main variants in the pipeline, one of which will come with a 45mm case.
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Materials are expected to range from stainless steel to aluminum and even titanium, rumored battery sizes are fairly promising, and the same obviously goes for the 8GB internal storage space count, which would be double the capacity of Samsung's previous smartwatches. Most of the other specs and features are still under wraps, but we have pretty good reason to hope the Galaxy Watch 2 will support ECG monitoring out the box, possibly alongside blood pressure tracking as well.
The Galaxy Watch 2 must come with working ECG technology at launch if it wants to rival the Apple Watch Series 6
In theory, that would allow Samsung to level the playing field in its health monitoring competition with Apple, although naturally, the Cupertino-based tech giant will not just sit idly by as its arch-enemy challenges the throne.
Instead, the Apple Watch Series 6 is rumored to revolutionize the thriving industry... yet again by starting to keep an eye on a wearer's mental health as part of a long-term strategy aimed at making the wearable device your personal all-knowing digital physician. Now that's something Samsung is unlikely to rival anytime soon.
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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